Spare Me 'Til Another Year
by Viperiform
Summary: Paradise is an illusion in this line of work. Once you've kidded yourself that it exists, that is really where everything comes crashing down. No paradise waking or Dreaming.  They should've gotten out when they still could.   Arthur/Ariadne


Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or song lyrics in this story. Inception belongs to Christopher Nolan, and this rendition of Oh Death belongs to Jen Tidus

* * *

_Oh Death_

_Oh Death_

_Oh Death_

_Won't You Spare Me Over 'Til Another Year?_

She knew their job was dangerous; there was no avoiding it. They had resisted being together and in this job and the same time, but they were equally stubborn on letting the relationship go. They functioned better with each other, two parts of a well oiled machine. They didn't spend much time trying to keep out of a relationship. They were both intelligent; they knew that forcing themselves apart would just distract them more in the long run than being together would. They just had to look the challenge in the eye and have a plan for when things went wrong.

They didn't try and kid themselves by saying '_if_ things go wrong'. They knew that sooner or later, no matter how precise and careful they were, the dangers would catch up with them. They'd never admit it, but that was part of the thrill. They trusted each other completely and utterly, right down to the point of trusting each other with their sanity for she now carried a red plastic die and he now carried a bronze chess bishop.

_But What Is This That I Can't See_

_With Ice Cold Hands Taking Hold Of Me_

_When God Is Gone And The Devil Takes Hold,_

_Who Will Have Mercy On Your Soul?_

They understood the dangers of being in a relationship in this line of business; they had both seen firsthand how it could go wrong. They were careful, he made sure of it. They didn't always work together, and that suited them fine. When one of them was on a Job and the other wasn't, they didn't see each other much, but yet again that suited them fine. They did know the risks their line of work dangled in front of them. It was the times that they did work together that made up for those times they were separated.

Only once did they ever have to split for an extended period of time. That was the biggest risk of working the same Job, at least it was in their mind. It was a simple Extraction, one level. The Extractor, however, was a little too blatant and the Mark figured it out. The Team just barely managed to get out without being seen in the real world. However, that didn't mean that they were safe. He was always one for being overly cautious, a strong advocate of the phrase "Better safe than sorry". They went separate ways, not seeing each other again for a month. A month was what they determined safe. Yet again, everything worked out for them.

_Oh Death_

_Oh Death_

_Oh Death_

_No Wealth, No Ruin, No Silver, No Gold_

_Nothing Satisfies Me But Your Soul_

They had plans for when they weren't working together, too. It was during those times that they realized that they couldn't always be there for the other, so as soon as they gave their relationship a shot, that was the first thing the remedied. Every Job came with a 'timeline'. A fairly accurate statement of how long the Job would take. Even if the Jobs didn't, he'd create an estimate himself. They would tell the other, and so they knew when to expect the other back. It was when they didn't show that the other would need to escape. No backward glances. They would always find the other when the danger was passed. Two parts of a well oiled machine. There was only once when they came close to needing that plan. Thankfully things worked out just in time, and they were able to go back to their normal between Jobs life. Paradise is an illusion in this line of work. Once you've kidded yourself that it exists, that is really where everything comes crashing down. They thought that with all their planning and careful actions, they'd managed to set up their own little paradise in the waking world. No paradise waking or Dreaming. They should've gotten out when they still could've.

_Oh Death_

_Well I Am Death, None Can Excel_

_I'll Open The Door To Heaven Or Hell_

_Oh Death_

_Oh Death_

He was supposed to come back this day. She woke up with a bad feeling, but disregarded it; she had a similar feeling every date of his return. It's amazing how time dulls the senses. As the day wore on, she got more and more anxious. Nothing she could do, it was just her nature. When the twilight came, that anxiety became legitimate worry, but she swallowed that and prepared for the worst, packing away only the essentials for a hasty escape. The night kept getting deeper, and there was still no sound other than her beating heart. No call. No footsteps in the hall. Nothing. The clock struck midnight. She was already gone, left of her own accord. It was a time to see if those precautions were actually worth something.

She had faith that they weren't separated forever. He always said, just as she told him, they'd find each other again if things went south. Things had gone south. The plan was either foolish or brilliant. It depends on the viewpoint. The world was a big place, how would they find each other again once the storm passed? It was simple, really. The one left behind would head to the city of the Job. If the Mark managed to find out that they were together, would they really look for the other right under their noses? Of course not. The obvious is the most inconspicuous.

The plane had touched down, and she had left the airport. She was walking to the hotel she was staying at; needed the time to clear her mind. She was snapped out of her thoughts when she felt a buzzing in her pocket. Her phone. She pulled out the device, looking at the screen. His number. A flash of hope appeared in her eyes. She answered, but before she could speak…

"I'm sorry."

The line went dead. Not his voice. All wrong. A mistake, must have been. She mournfully shook her head. No mistake. End of the line.

_My Name Is Death And The End Is Here._


End file.
